Pretty Fits
by gypsylife
Summary: While on a job, things go awry, but not for who you think. Is Kaylee in danger?
1. Chapter 1

DisclaimerI own none of the characters, or 'verse. All hail Joss the creative genius.

Pretty Fits Chapter One

"Sweetie, don't get upset. It just takes a little patience, and...creativity on your part." Inara reached her arm to circle around Kaylee's shoulders and pull her close as they walked out of Inara's shuttle.

Kaylee sighed, "I know, Nara, I just get so tired of doin' all the work."

"Well, maybe we can find you something pretty in St. Albans. A little shopping to get your mind off of the whole thing." Inara flashed a bright smile and Kaylee couldn't help but smile broadly right back.  
Kaylee and Inara made their way down the catwalk and toward the kitchen.

Most everyone was already settled in their seats passing around the food. Mal at the head of the table as always, looked up at them as they entered and grinned. "Well, ladies, glad you decided to join us. Not up to any mischief I hope"  
Kaylee grinned at the captain, "No, cap'n, just havin' a little girl talk"  
Jayne grunted and dove into his food barely looking at anyone. Simon looked at Jayne with distaste and then looked over at River who was on his right. "How are you doing, Mei Mei?"

Today hadn't been the best of days for River. Most days she was quite enough and only spouted her disjointed vernacular in small doses, but today she seemed to rant every few minutes. "It's not associated. Parts can be parts…and whole can be whole…the whole can't sustain without the parts…need bonding agent.." She continued to mutter inaudibly, rocking slightly back and forth, seeming to use her fingers for reference.  
Simon stroked the back of her head and sighed, and Mal eyed River carefully.

"How is she, son?" Shepherd Book asked of Simon, his voice laced with concern.  
"I've given her what I can today. She doesn't seem to be responding to any of the medications I've tried. I had thought she was becoming more lucid, but"  
At that point Jayne belched loudly and Simon turned and glared at him as he opened his mouth to speak.  
"Jayne," Mal interrupted, "best be getting the gear ready. Mule won't run 'less it's prepped." Mal stood from the table and took his plate over to the sink. "Zoe, you go ahead and contact Thayer. Tell him we won't be long and to have that merchandise ready. Wash, you get this bird landed somewhere outta the way." "You think we're gonna have trouble?" Wash asked, already knowing the answer.  
"I just got me a notion to not stick out is all." Mal turned and left the dining room. As everyone else started to disperse, Kaylee asked Simon, "Simon, weren't you hungry, you didn't even touch your lunch"  
"Oh, " he said as if he hadn't even noticed it was a meal time, "Um, I've just been preoccupied with River today." "If you want I can save you a little something, case you do get hungry." Kaylee's voice was full and hopeful, wanting to help Simon.  
"No, thank you." Simon said as he quickly walked away to follow River out of the room.  
Inara touched Kaylee's shoulder as walked by, and when she reached the door she turned around and with a little glint in her eye said, "How about we work on that creativity"  
Kaylee cocked her head to the side and raised one eyebrow. "Whatcha got in mind?"

Jayne, Zoe and Mal were in the cargo bay loading up the mule with various supplies and River stared down at them from the catwalk. "Girls givin' me all kindsa willies Mal. I'm thinking we outta look to fixin' that, 'fore she gets it in the wacked up brain o hers to do some damage." Jayne punctuated his sentence by slamming shut the rear hatch of the mule. Mal looked at Jayne and then at River. And then out of the corner of his eye he saw Inara and…Kaylee? come out of her shuttle. Inara, as always, looked stunning but Kaylee, well, Kaylee was dressed up her own self. She was wearing one of Inara's dresses, it was a pale pink, but it was far from the dress she had worn on Persephone. It clung to her body in all the right places and flared out in all the others. It looked to be made of a very fine silk. Inara had curled her hair and swept it up into a very attractive bun, letting a few tendrils fall free. Kaylee had even managed to not only be grease free, but she was wearing makeup.  
"Well, now." Mal said and raised his eyebrows.  
At his staring Jayne and Zoe looked up at the women as they walked down the stairs. Zoe smiled and Jayne leaned into Mal, "Definitely ain't no sheep." Mal walked over to them as they met the cargo bay floor. He crossed his arms and cocked his head.  
"Now who is this Inara, and where is lil' Kaylee?" Mal couldn't fight the grin that spread over his face. Kaylee smiled from ear to ear, "Whaddya think, cap'n? Ain't it just the purdiest dress?" She twirled a little and did a little curtsy.  
"Dress is fine enough lil' one, but I don't think it's the dress folks'll be lookin' at"  
Kaylee ducked her head and blushed deeply.  
"What you wearn' something like that for?" Jayne asked confounded. "S'just St. Albans"  
"Nara says a lady don't need an occasion to look pretty." Kaylee huffed and poked out her chin.  
"Well you certainly look beautiful Kaylee." Zoe wasn't one for compliments, but the look on Kaylee's face would have made her say again in a heartbeat.  
"What do you two ladies plan on doin' in such pretty fits?" Mal had a hint of skeptism in his voice.  
"Just a small shopping trip, Mal. Nothing to worry over." Inara lightly guided Kaylee around them and towards the cargo bay doors. "Oh, Nara, I forgot to check the port press regulator! It'll only take me a few minutes." Kaylee moved out of Inara's grasp and started to climb the stairs rapidly, looking a little awkward in her lavish dress. "Be…careful, Kaylee." Inara yelled up to her. Her words falling on deaf ears. As Kaylee rounded the corner River watched where she had just been and smiled.

Simon had been looking for Kaylee. She hadn't been in the engine room or anywhere else he had looked for her for the past hour. He had intended on asking her if she would mind watching River while he went into town for some medical supplies. Knowing that she couldn't stay out of the engine room for long, Simon went to check again and when he reached the door to the engine room what he saw made his jaw drop. Kaylee was there standing on her tiptoes fiddling with some controls high up on the ceiling. His eyebrows shot up of their own accord and he stared up and down the length of her. She was wearing a very fitted dress and her hair and her eyes and her…with the…and…wow. Simon shook his head and blinked rapidly walking towards her. He reached out his hand to touch her shoulder but she quickly moved from him and hefted up her skirt so she could squat down and mess with the controls. Simon's eyes widened unbelievably big and his eyes practically glued to her bare legs where she had moved her skirt up. He stood frozen in place unable to move or have any clear thought process whatsoever.

In her haste to not keep Inara waiting, Kaylee fumbled with the controls, making sure that everything was set as it was supposed to be. Sure is a pretty dress, but I wouldn't mind a little breathing room. As she stood and turned quickly she smacked head on into Simon. Simon stumbled back and caught himself on the engine. "Ow." Kaylee said matter of factly.  
"Uh…um...I was just…I wanted….I wanted to see what you were up to." Simon said lamely.  
Kaylee tried not to laugh at his obvious discomfort. "Oh. Inara and me are going shoppin'." Simon cleared his throat and tried to regain some semblance of propriety.  
Without thinking he said, "And you need to look like that to go shopping"  
"Like THAT?" Kaylee's face contorted in confusion and then anger. "What do you mean like that"  
She crossed her arms in front of her and looked up at him expectantly with her lips pursed together.  
"That not what I…I wasn't trying to say…what I mean to say is"  
"Let me stop you there, Simon. If you don't like the way I look that's fine, but at least keep it to yourself"  
She pushed past him and left the engine room quickly. Simon's face scrunched up in confusion and his mouth lay gaping open. He thought to himself, I am just not good at this. He moved his thumb and forefinger to pinch the bridge of his nose and then ran his hand through his hair.. Not good at all.

Kaylee made it down to the cargo bay in record time.  
"Mei Mei what's wrong?" Inara asked worried about her. Kaylee upset was not something Inara liked to see.  
Kaylee shook her head and tried to smile. "I don't wanna talk about it. Can we go now, please"  
Inara eyed her warily and said "Are you sure, honey? You don't look like"  
"No, I'm shiny Inara. Let's go. After all, I got all dressed up"  
Inara could tell that the last sentence was said with not-so-well concealed sadness.  
She knew it wouldn't take long for Kaylee to tell her everything, she just had to wait for Kaylee to be ready. Which in Kaylee's emotional turnover rate would be in about five minutes. They made their way out of the cargo bay the same time that Mal climbed up into the mule with Jayne and Zoe. Jayne smiled and loaded his gun. "Let's go get rich"  
No sooner had the mule pulled out of the cargo bay than Wash walked up into the now empty room.  
"Where'd everybody go?"

Shepherd Book walked into the cargo bay slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Need anything in town? I should be able to pick up a few things after I drop off the post"  
"No thanks, shepherd. I'm just going to sit here and pine for my wife." Wash said with a huge smile on his face. Book nodded and walked past him, but he could have swore he heard Wash say "…would have been nice if she said goodbye…"

River sat on the couch across from the infirmary with the most intent and far away look on her face. "River," Simon called to her from inside the infirmary. "I think this one will help with the nausea"  
"It's cold…so cold. Taste of metal…metal and more…metal makes her nauseous. "River stood and walked into the infirmary.

"Kaylee, sweetie, Simon just has trouble. He has so much to worry on." Inara tried to console Kaylee as they walked through the shop full of wonderful fabrics and various odds and ends. "I know, Nara. S'just sometimes I feel like givin' up is all." Kaylee ran her fingers delicately across a lush dark green fabric. "This one sure is beautiful, ain't it"  
As Kaylee ran her fingers across the fabric Inara noticed the two men at the counter staring intently at Kaylee. "Sure is." They meandered throughout the store for a little while longer and Kaylee noticed a store at the end of the block set back a ways that was more mechanically inclined. She looked at the store and then at Inara. Inara noticed her looking and smiled. "There's another store that I'd like to go see. Why don't you go have a look in that one"  
Kaylee brightened and said, "Thanks Inara, I won't be too long"  
Inara headed for the store that was about three blocks in the opposite direction and Kaylee walked towards the store that was all full up of goodies. There was one salesman in the store and he was preoccupied with another customer so Kaylee was more than happy to peruse at her leisure. There were various parts of shapes and sizes littered across two large tables and there were parts hanging from the walls. Kaylee made a mental note to ask if he would deliver several parts to Serenity. Don't wanna go messin' up Nara's pretty dress.  
After about three minutes a group of four or five men walked in, looking all manner of intimidating. Kaylee was used to big burley men, but this lot just screamed trouble. She looked to the salesman as he said, "Yeah, I've got that one round back, here I'll show you." The salesman and the customer walked out the back entrance to the store. Kaylee decided it would probably be best to go check on Inara. As she moved to leave the store two of the men blocked her path. "Well, what's a pretty thing like you doin' in this kinda 'stablishment"  
Kaylee tried to move around him, "Excuse me, please." She was getting a little more than nervous. The biggest of the two moved aside and in a faux gallant manner outstretched his arm and bowed slightly to allow her to pass. As Kaylee exited the store she could hear the salesman around the side of the building. I got time to ask him now. Might as well. She moved around to the side of the building and she saw his back as he rounded towards the back of the building. She followed him quickly, but when she reached the back of the building no one was there. Kaylee scrunched up her face and turned to leave. As soon as she turned she saw the group of less than respectable men. She felt a lump rise in her throat. The largest one, who looked to be the leader, smiled in a way that sent shivers up her spine. "Got to thinking' you might make some fine company"  
Kaylee's eyes widened in fear and she started to shake.

To be continued in the next installment. By all means, comment, comment, comment. I welcome any suggestions for editing, or plot bunnies…etc. Please.

Chapter 2

"I best be goin'." Kaylee said her voice quavering only slightly.  
"Goin?" One of the men asked, "Why you got no where to be that'd be better than with us." He was tall and lanky and had a very distinct and pungent smell to him. That smell got in Kaylee's nostrils as he sidled up right next to her, way too next to her. Kaylee moved from him and tried to walk away from the men but they blocked every route she tried. So instead she tried a bluff. "My husbands waitin' for me." She tried to indicate closeness by gesturing with her hand. " I best be goin." However, the hand gesture may have done more harm than good, cause her whole arm looked like it was going to shake right off. "Aw, now sweetie, we ain't all bad." The leader of the group started to walk towards her and she backed up into one of the other men. And then everything went black.

Mal shook Thayer's hand and nodded his head. "Nice doin' business with ya"  
Thayer reminded Mal of Simon in that 'every hair on his pretty little head has it's place, and dirt is my enemy' kind of way. Mal thought that was about all that this 'business man' had in common with Simon.  
"And you." Thayer leaned his head over to his man who had just come up to whisper in his ear. After the man had apparently relayed news of some import, he nodded curtly at Mal. "Well, I've got dealings of my own to see to. I'll send you a WAVE about that job we discussed"  
Mal shook his head and turned to leave. Zoe, never more than a foot from Mal's side, followed close behind Mal. "You think that was on the up and up, Sir"  
Mal snickered and turned his head to Zoe, "Been a good long while since bein' on the up and up mattered. Wouldn't ya say? Jayne! Let's go." Jayne had been overtly flirting with the scantily clad girl at the bar. "Aw, Mal. Just a minute"  
"Now, Jayne." Mal said with a mixture of annoyance and humor.  
Jayne tossed back a shot and grabbed the girl, kissing her full on. When he let her go, he nodded his head, and said "Well…thanks." He put his hat back on and moved to follow Mal and Zoe. They exited the bar all squinting from the sunlight. Mal held up his hand to shield his eyes as he handed Jayne a piece of paper and some coin. "Jayne, this here's a list of things we been needin' for a while now. See what you can get here in town and drop it off at the ship. After that, you can have a little free time. But you keep low on the radar, hear? I don't wanna have to come bust you outta the local jail"  
"Yeah, Mal." Jayne grabbed the coin readily and was gone before Mal could say another word. "Sir, I'm still feelin' a little more than cautious about Thayer. He's way too high scale for a small little moon like this." Zoe always held her tounge unless she really felt that womanly intution kickin' in. And it was in high gear today. "I gotta take the jobs we can get. He may be too high scale. But I don't wanna know anything about his scales. Long as hims can pay, I'm gonna get the coin I can"  
"I understand, Sir, I just-" "You worry too much. Wash has been harpin' on me for more 'an a month now for some quality time with his wife. You go spend some time with that husband o yours and let me worry on the fanciful scales"  
"Alright, sir, just…be careful around him." Zoe looked at Mal like his own mother did when he used to get into trouble. Mal smiled. As Zoe started back to the ship Mal noticed Inara through the window of shop across the street. Mal stared openly at her for a few seconds and started to walk towards the shop. Halfway across the street Mal heard a commotion coming from about a block down. "Tzao gao. Jayne!" Mal muttered under his breath and headed for the noise.

All the racket was coming from the general store. Mal walked in to find a girl huddled on the floor, two men lying on the floor across from her and a man being held up against the wall by…Shepherd Book. "Huh." Mal walked up to the shepherd. "Didn't think I'd find you causin' all this ruckus"  
"Nothing to be concerned about, Captain. These gentlemen," Book released the man and said heavily "were just about to bid this lady a good day, and be on their way"  
The man scurried around the shepherd and ran from the general store. "Miss, are you alright?" Book walked over to her, stepping over the other two men to help her stand.  
"Yes, yes. Thank you so much. Folk around here got a bad habit o' disappearin'. I'm right glad you came in when you did." She left the store hastily and Mal turned to the shepherd. "Don't that book 'o yours say something bout doin' harm to another"  
Book smiled at Mal and said, "I used a little creative interpretation. But I do think we shouldn't stay on this moon for longer than we have to. Like the lady said, wouldn't want anyone disappearing"  
Mal looked out across the town. "No we wouldn't."

Simon closed the door to River's bunk and headed for the kitchen. In his obsessive state, worrying about River, he hadn't eaten hardly anything and now his stomach was taking it out on him. He put on some water for tea and rummaged around the cabinets for something edible. As he settled on some packaged protein he heard Kaylee's voice from earlier. "If you want I can save you a little something, case you do get hungry." Simon ripped open the package and gave himself a swift mental kick. After he had prepared his tea and sat at the dining room table, Wash walked in wearing only his boxers and a tee shirt and went straight to the cupboards. He did a little maneuvering, and his hand pulled out of the cupboard holding an apple. He nodded and grinned at Simon. "Pays to have a wife onboard. Even if she does exhaust the hell outta you. Wash said as he bit into the apple and winked at Simon. He plopped down in the seat across from Simon.  
Simon smiled and shook his head slowly. "I should look into it"  
"I bet Kaylee'd be more than willing to hide you a few apples here and there." Wash said pointedly.  
Simon let out a long sigh , " I can't…talking to Kaylee is difficult…I can't"  
"Form full sentences and sound like a human being." Wash filled in the blank.  
Simon continued on as if Wash had said nothing, "I can't offer her what I don't have. And right now I don't have a whole lot"  
"Kaylee is a big girl Simon. Sounds to me like you just need to work on your juggling skills." Wash stood up and left the dining room happily eating his apple. "Juggling." Simon said as he took a sip of his tea, suddenly feeling very tired.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2 of Pretty Fits A/N: Comment! Please! I can't know how I'm doing unless you guys let me know. Thanks so much for reading my work.

Wash snuggled closer to Zoe and smiled to himself. He knew he was lucky. Zoe's got a lot of walls that she won't let down for anyone and he felt privileged to be able to be so close to her, both emotionally and physically. Though the physical side didn't hurt. He felt her tense in his arms. "What is baby"  
"This moon is getting under my skin, in the worst way. I don't like it here"  
Husband and wife shared one of those loaded, intense gazes. Alot can be said without saying it. A full minute passed and Wash nodded his head and said, "Alright then"  
Wash got out of bed and began to dress. Zoe smiled and got up to dress as well.

When Inara had been perusing by herself for an hour she started to wonder if Kaylee was giving the shopkeeper trouble. A smile spread across her lips as she thought about how excited Kaylee got over anything that clicked or buzzed or hummed. When she exited the store to go look for Kaylee, she saw Shepherd Book and Mal on the side of the road. They both noticed her and walked to meet her. "Find any supplies?" Mal said that last word with a great amount of sarcasm and disdain.

Inara gave him that 'thank you so much for the underhanded insult' smile and said, "Mmm, no, Mal. But I did see some very disreputable men. Perhaps you could enter into some kind of illegal dealings with them"  
Mal smiled and noticed that Inara was by herself. "Where's lil' Kaylee"  
Inara gestured with her hand, "She got a little distracted at another store. I was just about to go join her"  
"We'll join you." the shepherd said, trying to move the lack of conversation along.  
The three of them started off towards that part of town.

Kaylee very slowly started to come back to consciousness. She was extremely cold and lying on metal. Everything was so fuzzy, and her head was pounding, and when she tried to move her hand up to touch it she felt a steady stream of blood coming from her hairline right above her right temple. She tried to sit up and got very sick to her stomach. She could taste blood and something else...? It tasted almost like metal. She couldn't think straight her head was throbbing so hard and she felt like she was going to be sick.

She blinked several times and carefully pushed herself up into sitting position. It was very dark but there was a light coming from another room so she could barely make out her surroundings. She was in a room a little smaller than the size of her own bunk. It was completely empty and sharp and cold. Along with the sick feeling deep in her stomach she felt the sharp pang of something else rise up. Fear. She was shaking terribly now, from the cold or the panic she couldn't tell. She looked down at herself and saw the dress all scuffed and torn in some places. She fingered one of the harsh rips on her left side around her thigh. One tear fell down her cheek as a barely audible whisper came from her, "Nara's dress...".

"Two sides to the coin...heads or tails...heads or heads...never tails...coin never lands right side up..."River was in the infirmary and Simon was checking her over.  
"River? River, can you tell me what you mean?", he dropped his instrument and held her shoulders. If he could only make her focus maybe he could get a steady, comprehendible flow of dialogue from her. He gently grabbed her shoulders and looked her square in the eyes. "River, what do you mean"  
"He's not who you think he is. Locked her up. Swallowed the key. She's scared"  
"River, honey. There's nothing to be scared of"  
"Not me. Kaylee."

Simon's face was confused and alarmed. "Kaylee? River, why is Kaylee scared"  
River was looking off into space, not being able to keep her eyes on one thing for long. "Doesn't taste good …got the wrong one and doesn't even know it…and now it's ripped…" River looked into Simon's eyes. "…she's sad." Simon's mind raced and did all manner of flip flops in the small span of mere seconds. He was aware that his sister sometimes knew things that she couldn't, but even the idea of Kaylee hurt…well. That hit him in the scary place. Simon gathered himself together and shook her shoulders lightly, "River. Mei mei, you have to tell me where she is. Where is Kaylee"  
"Cold and dark…cold and dark…can't see from all the blood"  
Simon's heart sunk into the pit of his stomach. He quickly moved River off of the infirmary bed and guided her to the bridge, where Wash and Zoe were talking. At Simon's face they both stopped and stood. "I think Kaylee might be in trouble." Wash grabbed the com and clicked it on. "Captain."

Mal nodded at the salesman and walked over to Inara and Book. "He said he saw a girl in here bout an hour back, matched my description, but she was only in the store for about five minutes." His voice held that serious tone that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention. "Did he happen to see which way she went?" This came from Book, who even when worried held that no nonsense tone.  
Inara's eyes were wide with fear, but she tried to verbalize her self-consolation. "Maybe she's back on the ship"  
Just then Mal heard his com click on and Wash's voice say, "Captain"  
"Yeah, Wash." Mal clenched his jaw tightly. Wash offered the handset to Simon and he took it readily, "Captain, River thinks Kaylee might be in some sort of trouble. Do you know where she is in town? Or Inara?" Simon's voice held a little more edge to it than usual. "Inara's here with me. No sign of Kaylee. Zoe, you and Wash come on to town. We got some lookin' to do. "

Mal sent Inara back to Serenity against her own wishes, but if folk were disappearing' around here, the last thing he needed was her to get gone too. "See if you can't River to tell us where she's at"  
Mal, Book, Zoe and Wash all met up and divvied up directions to search in. For good measure Mal added, "And if you see Jayne, get 'im all filled in, dong ma?" They each dispersed and not a single one wanted to think on what kind of trouble Kaylee might be in.

Jayne sneered at the bartender and took another shot. Weren't right. Not a single woman in the whole gorram bar. He mumbled to himself and held out his glass for another shot. While the bartender was giving Jayne a refill, there was a bit of a disturbance comin' from the back room. Jayne thought to himself, 'well, at least ifn' I can't get some trim, a nice tussle's good entertainment'  
One very beaten up man came flyin' through the back door to land roughly on the bar floor.

A not so smallish man followed him quickly, towering over him. Everyone in the bar seemed alarmed and quieted until Thayer walked in casually as if nothing were wrong. Then every patron seemed to start that uncomfortable forced kind of chatter He nodded his head at the henchman and then nodded to the door. In response, the bruised and bleeding man got pulled up off the floor and shoved, none too gently, out of the front door. The henchman walked over to Thayer and joined him at the bar. The bartender poured a couple of regulars for the men and quickly scurried away. "So you're certain we've got her then?" Thayer spoke in a softer voice but he also spoke as though he wasn't worried that anyone would challenge him, no matter how legal his conversation was.  
"Yes, sir. The men say she didn't even put up a fight"  
Jayne's interest was piqued, so he hung over his glass and listened intently. "Good, good. He'll be happy to hear that his wayward companion is due back." Thayer grinned and took a long sip from his glass. At the mention of the word companion Jayne's interest had gone from piqued to full blown.  
Thayer and his man left the bar without another word.

Jayne waited about thirty seconds and stood, flinging some credits on the table and leaving to follow them. He had been trailing them for about two blocks when Mal popped out of a store and blocked Jayne's path. Jayne moved to see where Thayer and his man were headed, but they had just rounded a corner.  
"Mal, we might wanna follow 'em. They got 'Nara." Jayne sounded irritated. "What, Jayne? Inara's on the ship"  
Mal face mussed up in confusion for a split second and then clicked into comprehension.  
"But Kaylee's missing"  
Both Men clenched their jaws and turned to follow Thayer and his man.

Kaylee shivered uncontrollably and huddled in the corner of the very tiny, very cold room. She thought she could hear voices in the next room, but her head wasn't letting her brain function properly. Suddenly, the door flung open and the light was so bright that it blinded Kaylee. She blinked and tried to stand up but was shoved back down roughly. "Wh-what do you want?" her voice quavered and shook.  
"Well now that's the question, ain't it darlin." he leaned down to her and ran his finger down the side of her face that was covered in blood. Kaylee jerked her head away and tried to scoot away from him but she was already in a corner.  
"No need to be shy." he said as he played with a piece of loose fabric on her left shoulder.  
"What are you doin'?" Another man appeared in the doorway.  
"Aw, Jackee-boy, I'm just havin' a little fun with her"  
"Don't call me Jackee-boy and DON'T mess with the girl. We're getting a fair amount of coin fer her and I don't want any of your niou-se muckin' that up." He looked at him squarely and then turned his eyes on Kaylee. "Go on now." The man leered at Kaylee and winked before he stood to leave. "She's all dirty and bloody, anyhow"  
Jack moved to shut the door, but Kaylee's voice stopped him. "Please. Please, I…I think I need a doctor. My head"  
"This here's just a holdin' place for you. You're not long for this little moon, so don't cause a fuss.  
And with that he slammed the door shut.

Inara walked up Serenity's ramp into the cargo bay to find Simon and River waiting.  
Simon looked up at Inara expectantly but she just shook her head.  
After revealing her newfound knowledge River had been very tight lipped. Barely speaking at all.  
Both Inara and Simon tried to get River to talk to them but they were both becoming quickly frustrated.

Mal nodded once at Jayne who nodded right back before Mal kicked down the door and they both stormed in, guns drawn and pointed at the four inhabitants of the room.  
One man slid back from the table, where the four men were seated, in surprise but Thayer just continued to shuffle his hand of cards coolly before saying, "Well Captain Reynolds, I didn't send you a WAVE and you certainly didn't send me one, so you can understand as to why I'm a little upset by this, how shall we say, unfriendly disturbance"  
Thayer looked at Mal like he was a youngin' being chided for pulling a prank.  
"I like my entrances to make a statement." Mal quipped with a humorous shrug of the shoulders.  
One of Thayer's men stood and shoved his chair back into Jayne which caused quite the upheaval. Jayne bent over from the pain in his gut for all of two and a half seconds before quickly hitting him hard enough to knock him up and onto the table, and then he moved to fight the second man who had run up behind the first, "Ooo, goodie, seconds."

Thayer nodded his head to his large henchman and looked at Mal. Even though Mal still had his gun trained on Thayer, when the henchman stood to his full height, Mal's face twisted in the most comical 'holy crap' kind of way. About a full second of stunned silence passed before Mal said, "Alright, then." and nodded his head matter-of-factly before deftly moving to shoot him in the chest. The henchman stumbled backwards for a second and glared at his chest and then back at Mal before walking towards Mal again.  
Mal's frame shook with disbelief as he said high pitched and incredulously , "God! Don't you die"  
Two more shots to his chest and he dropped to the floor in a dull thud.  
When Thayer realized his men were so easily dispatched he stood quickly and moved to leave the room, but as he turned to the exit Jayne stood there leaned up against the doorframe and picked his teeth with his left hand, having easily induced a nap in the other two men.  
Mal came up beside Thayer and with his outstretched arm, aimed his gun at his temple. Thayer's demeanor had not changed during this, he didn't look to be bothered in the slightest.  
"You recently acquired somthin' 'o mine. And I want it back." Mal let his gun inch so close to Thayer's head that he could feel it without his skin ever making contact with metal.  
"I assure you Captain"  
Thayer's words were cut off by the deafening sound of Mal pulling back the hammer of the gun. "Don't believe I was done talkin'."

Dong ma…..understand Niou-se……cow dung

...to be continued 


	3. Chapter 3

Thayer's words were cut off by the deafening sound of Mal pulling back the hammer of the gun. "Don't believe I was done talkin"  
Jayne grinned and gave a little chuckle.  
Thayer hesitated for only a moment before regaining that haughty demeanor that grated on Mal's nerves. "I am a very busy man. I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific"  
"A girl. My mechanic got snatched today, and Jayne here says you just recently happened to make a similar acquisition. So hows about you take that pretty nose outta the air and tell me where she's at"  
"I'm afraid it's already out of my hands Captain Reynolds." Thayer looked at Mal coolly, ignoring the gun pointed now directly at his right eye.  
Jayne stood upright, alarmed. "What do you mean out of your hands?" Mal probed. 

Thayer, now tied to a chair, tried to ignore Jayne sitting comfortably, directly across from him staring holes right into him. Zoe, Wash, Book and Mal all stood in the room having tied the still unconscious men up and piled them up in a corner. "Sir?" Zoe always had a way of making that one word mean dozens of things, sometimes even simultaneously, but right now it just meant one thing. How do you wanna go about this.  
"Thayer said that transport is due to leave in bout an hours time, We're going back to Serenity so we can pick up a few necessities and then we're gonna go get Kaylee. Book,"

Book inched closer to Mal, more than willing to do anything to help out Kaylee. "I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Thayer. Don't want him messin' up our little adventure"  
"Mal, I think I might be of some use to you." Book leveled Mal with one look and Mal considered the possibility but shook his head. He pointedly looked at Thayer and said, "S'man is a whole heap of trouble, preacher. We got a little out of him, but I'd still like to be knowledgeable about why. I'd take a bit of ease out of the fact knowin' you was here with him, maybe you can get that little tidbit for us"  
Book slowly nodded in agreement.  
Mal led the way out of the building, Zoe and Jayne close on his heels.

Simon squatted in front of River in the Cargo bay while Inara just barely paced not five feet from them.  
"Had one already." River said matter-of-factly. "Non-compulsory necessity for an additional. Men lining the walls and streets with sweat and tears"  
Her brother stood and looked down on her with such concern before his mind focused in on their mechanic. Simon couldn't bear to think of where Kaylee must be. All that was important was that she return to the ship and that was inevitable because the others were retrieving her this very second…inevitable, right? 

Simon doubted his own self-assurance before quickly squelching his disbelief. He couldn't allow himself to get emotional about this. Logic and judgment and facts; these were all things that had held him together thus far in life. And. presently, the fact at hand was that Mal was not going to come back aboard Serenity without Kaylee. 'Please come back Mal.' Simon thought without restraint. 

If Inara had mentally berated herself once in the past few hours, she had done it dozens of times. It never once entered into her mind that if she had stayed with Kaylee she herself may have been harmed. Being well educated, cultured and refined was a significant part of Inara Serra. Albeit, that's certainly not all of who she is. Inara possessed an innate kind of confidence that came with more than just companion training. She rarely worried for herself, however, no vessel could contain all the worry emanating from her on this day.

Just then Mal, Zoe and Jayne came quickly up the ramp and into the cargo bay. Without Kaylee, Simon registered and his confusion was palpably painted on his face . Mal gathered weapons from the cargo bay while Jayne went to go fetch Vera and Zoe paid a visit to her own reserve.  
"Mal-" Inara started but Mal cut her off by saying, "Don't have time to explain just yet. Might know exactly where she's at. Came to gather up some gear and Kaylee will be back onboard 'fore long"  
Inara noticed that by the tone in Mal's voice, he wasn't up to any questions or suggestions so, pushing her fears back down her throat she offered her help. To which Mal simply looked at her guardedly and said, "No, we got this. Wash you have her ready to fly soon as we get back"  
The three of them, Mal in the center, Zoe on his right and Jayne on his left, marched off of Serenity's ramp, guns in tow.  
Mal said quietly to himself, "We won't be long."

Kaylee drifted in and out of consciousness, now numb to the cold the majority of the time. The blood coming from her head was slowed and begun to dry and harden on her face. Her mind was somewhat quieted now, because of her physical state. The few thoughts she did have ranged from that of her family back home and her family on Serenity. She remembered her pa's gentle and care worn face and smiled. He was the most important man in her life for so many years, and then she met Mal. 

Mal brought her on the ship and made her part of his family, whether he cared to admit it or not. And then there was Simon. She had never labored for a guys attention the way she fought for Simon's. Contemplating the time on Canton and then dead Bessie, Kaylee came to the swift decision that if she made it out of this she was going to be more patient with Simon and not flee like she had the tendency to do.

Kaylee's subconscious musings were interrupted by the door sliding open and that horrible bright light intruding in the dark space. Kaylee tried to force her eyes open, but for some reason her body wouldn't comply. As Kaylee lay there drifting back out of consciousness her less than hospitable captive came and lightly nudged her with his boot. All that generated from Kaylee was a groan.  
"Come on, git. Time to go"  
When he couldn't get her to rise on her own, he reached down and roughly grabbed her by the arms, hauling her up brutally. At the sudden rush to her head Kaylee went completely limp as she fainted. "Ai ya, girl." he grunted as he bent and shoved her over his shoulder.  
No sooner had he taken two steps than three people burst through the door, rushing him. Mal, Zoe and Jayne adeptly came in, guns drawn, and all moved to surround the man holding Kaylee. 

At the sight of Kaylee unconscious and slung over this guys' shoulder scared Mal more than he'd like to concede to himself. He quickly swallowed that feeling and said just one word, "Jayne"  
Jayne moved to take Kaylee from the man and said, "Cap she's hurt pretty bad." as he cradled her tiny frame in his arms.  
Mal clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared as her reared his gun hand back to pistol whip the man, but before he could get the chance Zoe came up and fiercely knocked the man out cold and on the floor in one punch.  
Mal blinked.  
"I was gonna do that." he wined.  
"Sorry, sir." Zoe didn't sound in the least apologetic. "Couldn't help myself."

As the entourage rushed back up the ramp wheels were set into motion. Simon instantly morphed into doctor mode assessing Kaylee's condition. Mal hovered in the infirmary, while Zoe stood completely still gripping Wash's hand which rested on her shoulder just outside. River sat curled up on the stairs beside Jayne who stood leaning against the railings. Inara stayed as close to Kaylee as she could without getting in the doctor's way. "She gonna be alright?" The amount of emotion in Jayne's voice as he appeared in the doorway caused Mal to do a double take.  
"I'm not certain. The trauma to her head and the blood loss alone are severe." Simon opened his mouth to say something else, but then seemed to think better of it. He bent over her and tried to focus on each task at hand.

"Jayne." Mal called to him and Jayne walked over to him, leaning close. "Go fetch the shepherd. And be quick about it. I want off this rock"  
Jayne nodded and moved from the doorway. One single tear rolled down Inara's face and Mal moved slightly behind and beside her, placing his hand on the small of her back. Simon continued to work unaware of anything except his patient and his hands. 

Jayne entered the tiny musky back room of the bar and quickly took in his surroundings. Shepherd Book knelt leaning closely over Thayer whose body was now prostrate on the ground. He made a face, both confounded and questioning at the same time.  
"Well now preacher, I always figured you for women folk"  
After one of those 'feel the other person out' kind of silences, Book stood and went to where Jayne was standing.

"Kaylee?" Book possessed a way of just calming you with his voice, but right now Jayne wasn't too taken with the idea o' bein' calm around this man. Jayne just nodded his head, "Hurt, though. Doc's workin' on her right now. Mal sent me to fetch you. You happen to get a why outta him, preacher?" Book shook his head and waited for it.  
"Then what in tarnation is he doin' on the floor?" Jayne cocked his head expectantly.  
"Tried to escape." Book spoke softly and Jayne knew something was up.  
"Hummh. That so"  
"It is." then after a moment, Book said a little too sharply for Jayne's liking, "I think we might outta get back to Serenity and off this moon. Now."

Simon walked out of the infirmary drying his hands on a pristine white hand towel. All the occupants of the room stood and look at him expectantly.  
"The trauma to her head is quite serious. She's unstable and we're going to have to keep a constant watch over her. She'll need her vitals to be checked every fifteen minutes among other things. The ICP caused by the cerebral edema is going"  
Jayne cut him off with, "The IC-what"  
Simon took a breath and started over. "Intracranial Pressure. The trauma to her brain has caused brain swelling, which in turn has caused excessive pressure to build up where it shouldn't." he took a deep breath which turned into a sigh.

Mal questioned, "Can you control the swelling? Make it go down"  
"It's hard to say. I can administer drugs to keep it from swelling further, but…but if it doesn't go down on it's own…" his voice trailed off.  
Inara took a step forward. "What happens if it doesn't go down"  
Simon hesitated and then said very quietly, "She'll die"  
Everyone in the room went speechless and the silence hung heavily in the air. 

"Preacher, I believe you got a tale that needs accountn'." Mal's brows rose and he crossed his arms across his chest.  
Mal and Book stood just inside the cargo bay doors, set apart from the others who were hovering over the infirmary.  
"Not altogether sure what you mean, Captain"  
"What I'm meaning, Shepherd is that Jayne tells me that he found Thayer getting' awful acquainted with the floor when he went to git you. I'd love a little narrative 'bout that"  
Shepherd Book licked his lips and swallowed before looking directly into Mal's eyes.

"I think we might outta want to wait a spell 'fore we start dissecting this particular situation." Book made sure that his voice was laced with intonations of 'trust me.  
Mal cocked his head to side as he asked, "Why would that be"  
"Because they weren't after Kaylee"  
"Shah muh?" Mal's arms fell down of their own accord.  
"I think it best for now, if we concentrate on Kaylee and getting her better"  
Mal opened his mouth to speak, but Simon poked his torso through the doorway.  
"Captain"  
Mal nodded to Simon and turned back to Book. "We ain't finished."

Simon looked up at Mal from Kaylee's side as he entered the infirmary. Mal watched Simon expectantly.  
"Her condition is going to require around the clock observation"  
"You said that before, Doc"  
"Yes, but what I didn't say was that if she wakes up"  
"When. When she wakes up." Mal said curtly.  
Simon swallowed "Yes, yes. Of course. When she wakes up we have no way of knowing how she'll react to her situation. Victims of head trauma often are very disoriented and confused. Everyone will need to allow her to adjust slowly. Also, since we don't know what she experienced before she lost consciousness," Simon said that last bit more like a question. "she may be in an anxious and possibly even hysterical state. I'd like to be with her as much as possible."

Mal gave an affirmative nod and said, "Wouldn't 'spect you to do different"  
Simon just looked at Mal, but Mal couldn't read what was in his face.  
"There something' you not telling' me, doctor"  
"I just…with a head wound, it's difficult…I can't do much, to-" Simon gave a helpless little sigh and then stood himself back up to full height, pushing his emotions back down.  
There was a moment of understanding and cohesion between the two men that left them both a little more comfortable with the other. 

Simon was looking over some of Kaylee's test results, hoping to find something he could work with, when he heard her.  
"Simon." Her voice was so weak it nearly broke his heart. He turned to her and all doctor thoughts went out the window. Even when examining his sister, Simon knew that there was something to be said for emotional detachment, but his brain and heart were certainly not connected at the moment.

"Kaylee? Kaylee can you hear me?" He bent over her, one hand stroking her forehead and hair while the other held her hand.  
Her eyes still closed she moved her head back and forth as if she were trying to force herself awake.

"Simon…Simon…don't leave…please"

"I'm not going anywhere Kaylee. I'm right here."

At the sound of his voice, Kaylee struggled to open her eyes and saw a very blurry Simon, but it was nonetheless, Simon. She smiled very faintly and looked at him. "Hey, you."

"Hey, you too." Simon's smile was so broad Kaylee thought she was dreaming. "Missed you." he said.

Kaylee smiled a little bit more and started to close her eyes again.

"No, no, Kaylee. Kaylee? You have to stay with me. Stay with me Kaylee. You can't leave me."

Kaylee opened her eyes wider and looked at him with a little more coherency. "Aw, silly, I'm not leavin' you. I love you."

Simon's smile fell off of his face as he considered what she was saying. And then without hesitation he said, "I love you, too Kaylee."

She smiled broadly and then her whole frame went alarmingly rigid and her eyes rolled back into her head.


	4. Chapter 4

A/T: I did some research to try to make this as real as possible...so lemme know what you think.  
PS: Not mine. All Joss'.

Simon only had a single moment of shock and then he snapped back into his physician mentality. He pulled back her eyelids and checked her pupils as he very gently held her on the infirmary bed. Keeping her from falling off the cot was not difficult, however, her body convulsed and jerked rapidly and he needed to be sure she didn't injure herself further. "What can I do, Doc?" Zoe entered swiftly standing at the ready.  
"She's seizing. Keep her still, but we're going to have to turn her on her side and let it run its course."

When Zoe moved to take Simon's position, turning Kaylee on her side, Simon shifted over to the cabinet to prepare some medication for Kaylee.  
"We cain't do nothing'? the underlying mood in her voice was accusing. "We'd do more damage than aid." Simon looked up at Zoe across Kaylee's now wilting form. His facial expression was firm but sympathetic. He glanced at the screen to see her vitals every few seconds. They both carefully laid Kaylee on her back as she went completely limp and Simon indicated with his head to a tall metal cylinder standing in the corner. "Could you move that canister close to the bed, please?"

Zoe quickly repositioned it with ease. "What's goin' on Doc"  
"The brain needs constant Oxygen and this is the largest supply we have." While he quickly and competently hooked Kaylee up to the Oxygen he gestured again to the counter of medicines. "Will you hand me that syringe and the small bottle marked Dilantin?"

"So how's our patient?" Wash's voice died down from hopeful into concern when he saw the activity and faces in the room.  
Zoe just looked at her husband and he came over to her side immediately. They both looked to Simon with worried questions in their eyes.  
As Simon injected the medication into her IV he explained. "She's had a seizure. That means that there is abnormal brain activity. And her brain isn't getting the oxygen it needs, so she'll need to stay hooked up to the ventilator. Her scans haven't shown any intercerebral hecatomas and I see no signs of subdural either so"  
"Sorry, Doc" Wash interrupted. "Intercelebrity whatee?"

"Clotting. Either in the brain or between the brain and skull." Simon stopped himself. He had a way of divulging too much information when he was nervous. Solid facts he could handle. It was just the idea that all these solid facts were happening to Kaylee that was unhinging his professionalism.  
"Will she keep having these…seizures?" that came from Zoe who was now tightly encircled in Wash's arm.  
"I've given her some medication, which should stop them. However, I can't stop administering, or it could increase her chances of seizing again"  
Wash spoke up, "So what do we do now"  
Simon swallowed and looked down at her. "Wait."

Inara shuffled around her shuttle trying to keep busy. All the guilt and frustration had taken its toll on her and now she was fit to be tied. She flung her belongings into a drawer, making a feeble attempt at cleaning when she was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
"Ching jin", her voice was quivery and her emotion was radiating off of her.  
Mal walked in and stood uncomfortably. "'Till we get this mess all straightened out we ain't gonna be makin' any stops"  
Inara just looked at him, confused and irritated.  
"So that means if you got any clientele waitin' on you, you best be callin' on 'em and letting' 'em know that they're gonna hafta do without your "noble" works for a bit." Mal's tone of voice just dripped with disdain and sarcasm.

"Noble works? My line of work is far less paltry and involves not so many bullets!" Inara took a step forward and her whole body shook with her fury.  
Mal took another step and looked down at her so that now they stood nose to nose. "Well maybe if you were lookin' after Kaylee like you shoulda been, 'stead of off getting' tyen shiao duh for them noble works 'o yours, she wouldn't be on that table right now"  
Inara's mouth fell open with shock and outrage and a silence so heavy it could have been tangible hung between them. Inara's expression only remained like that for another second until her face fell and the most pained look appeared.  
Her eyes glistened and she took a slow ragged intake of breath as she whispered, "You're right"  
Mal blinked and his face contorted in confusion before it immediately displayed regret. "Inara. That's not what I"  
"No. No, you are right Mal. It's my fault." Inara struggled not to cry as she took several steps back and turned away from him.  
Mal reached out his hand to place it on her shoulder but when it was centimeters from her skin he hesitated and then slowly closed it into a fist, pulling it back to his side.  
Inara's shoulders shook from the sobs she was holding in and as Mal turned and moved for the door he could hear her begin to weep.

River sat at the dining room table with her sketch pad in front of her. Half the page was a very well done rendition of Serenity's engine and the other half was covered in mathematical equations. She muttered to herself as she computed. "If the numerical values indicate a revenue than a campaign is probable." River shook her head and scrunched her nose at the numbers and then leaned in close to the paper writing fervently. Jayne walked in the dining room and headed straight for his food locker. He opened it and flung around the contents finding nothing to his liking. He glanced at River and then opened the locker next to his, belonging to Zoe. He quickly shoved in his hand and pulled out a container holding the remains of a dinner that Shepherd Book had prepared a few nights back. He smiled wickedly as he spread it out on a plate.  
"Not yours." River said, not even looking up at Jayne and still fussing over her paper.  
Jayne merely curled his upper lip and grunted as he moved to put the now empty container back into Zoe's locker. "Won't taste good when it's dirty." River added nonchalantly.

Simon entered the room and went directly to River while Jayne searched for a fork.  
"River. You're supposed to be with Inara." Simon's voice held that overly protective annoying brother tone.  
River looked up from her work at an odd angle and with annoyance clearly in her voice she said, "She's busy. Finding out's gonna be a showstopper"  
Simon's brows netted together for a moment. "I'll ask Wash and Zoe to check in on you. I'll be with Kaylee if you need me though"  
River rolled her eyes and went back to her work.

As Simon turned around to go ask the couple to look in on River, he slammed right into Jayne who was on his way to the table, effectively knocking his plate right out of his hands and causing the food to spill all over the floor. Simon muttered an apology and hurried out the door. Jayne clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared.  
River let a tiny smile spread over her face as she heard several obscenities escape through his tightly clamped teeth.

Mal stormed down the stairs and as soon as he hit the cargo bay floor and picked up a crate no bigger than a stool and harshly threw it against the bulkhead. He paced lividly back and forth when he saw someone out of the corner of his eye.  
Shepherd Book leaned up against the opposite wall with his Bible open in his hands.  
"Times like these sometimes make a man say things he oughtnt, make a man feel all kinds 'o wound up." Book stood and closed his Bible.  
Mal ran his right hand through his hair and took all of five seconds to compose himself.

"Preacher, you got awful timin'." Mal walked over to the weight bench and sat down as if he had the weight 'o the 'verse on his shoulders. "I got quite the curiosity as ta how a man of the cloth, such as yourself, can take to meanings the way you do"  
Book approached Mal and half smiled. "You're not such a hard book to read, Captain. Mayhap a little more venturesome type genre than I lean to, but nonetheless charismatic"  
As was his custom Mal tried to alleviate the situation with humor. "Well, you know me by now Shepherd. Violence first, all that questioning and 'deep inner struggle' song and dance later. Or never. I ain't never been one for dancing'." 

Book took a step to leave the cargo bay but Mal stopped him, "Speakin' of me not liking to dance. I'm gettin a jot weary of this sleight of hand thing you keep pullin'. Think it's about time you made less with the sidesteppin' and more with the talkin'." Book considered this for a stretch and Mal stood to get his attention, raising his eyebrows. Book exhaled and complied. "Thayer wasn't very loose-lipped"  
"Well, yeah. I kinda already knew that, preacher."

"I hadn't always been a shepherd Mal. I hear certain names and the hair on my neck stands up. Catchin' my meaning"  
Mal dipped his head and waited for Book to continue.  
"Thayer lay bare exactly one of those names. Name of the man who hired him. Aldrich Seung." Book stopped as if to let this sink in.  
Mal searched around in his head for some familiarity with the name but found none. He shrugged and shook his head. "Don't know of him. Name ain't striking any bells."

"That's because Seung isn't his birth name. His name is Aldrich Serra"  
Mal's eyes widened and his hand came up to rub his jaw as he thought.  
"That puts a lot more weight to the affair than I'd like." Mal pinched the bridge of his nose and just then the proximity alert sounded.  
"Dang rahn!" Mal uttered sarcastically.

Inara wiped her eyes again and sat in front of her mirror to apply her makeup. As she raised her eye color to her face she faltered and stared at her reflection. She couldn't let her emotions overtake her. She was better than that. Emotions have their time and place and usually she could control them. Usually. But with Kaylee hurt and Mal…well, Mal had access to buttons she didn't even know she had.  
She shook herself out of her reverie and finished applying her makeup and stood to leave. She promised Simon that she would watch River and time had slipped right through her fingers. As she closed her shuttle doors she heard Book and Mal talking down below.

"…name of the man who hired him. Aldrich Seung"  
"Don't know of him. Name ain't striking any bells." "That's because Seung isn't his birth name. His name is Aldrich Serra"  
Inara froze and gripped the railing of the catwalk till her knuckles turned stark white. To look on her you could tell she was definitely not on Serenity at the present moment. Even as the proximity alarm sounded she stood unmoving, her eyes glazed over and her mind racing.

River swayed back and forth with her eyes closed as if she could hear music and said in a sing songy voice, "Full pockets and an empty heart. Too soon. It's too soon to know..." As River suddenly halted her movements and opened her eyes she saw a body silhoutted in the doorway. "And too late for you"

Mal looked at Wash expectantly as he and Book rushed into the bridge to meet him, Zoe, and Jayne who were already gathered there, staring out into a not so empty space.  
"Someone wanna tell me what the hell is goin' on?" Mal spoke with concern but still radiated his ire from before.  
"Looks to be stranded." Wash explained and looked up at Mal while flipping switches and adjusting controls. He sounded surprised as he said, "It's a later model med-ship, maybe a 62-10. I'm reading no people onboard and no aux life support." Wash paused and then offered, "Med-ships don't get stranded. There's way too much cash just built right into 'em"  
They all looked to Mal, waiting for instructions. Several moments passed and Wash started to make a comical face and urge Mal on with his expression. Zoe merely swatted his arm and opened her mouth to speak.

Then suddenly from the back of the room Jayne spoke.  
"I'll be a liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze, before we play this tune again. Mal, we ain't like to get no boon outta this, same as last time. S'right time we cut our losses before we…" Jayne searched for how to finish the sentence. "…lose 'em"  
"Sir, I think Jayne's right." Zoe stood to full height as she said this, in complete seriousness.  
"Did you really just say that?" Wash asked incredulously. Zoe twisted her face up as if she smelled something rancid, and then considered his question before looking at him and plopping back down to sit on the controls next to him.  
"Yeah, I did." she said.  
Wash put the back of his hand up against her forehead and said with concern in his voice, "Maybe you outta go see the Doc. You could-"

"Enough." Mal scolded. He looked at Book and their eyes met and again yet another silence ensued.  
"Mal, we cain't afford no other complications. Best thing'd be if we just kept mobile." Jayne moved to stand in Mal's line of sight.  
"Well, now I can't believe I'm saying it, but Mal I think maybe Jayne's got a point." Wash agreed.  
"There any 'o you can do more for Kaylee, more 'an what the Doctor's already doin'?" Mal raised his eyebrows and waited.  
Everyone averted their gaze from Mal and all he could hear in response was the humming of the controls.

"Wash, you get us parked, but not before checkin' to see if they got that nice welcoming present like last time, and Jayne go prep the suits. If there is something over there to be had…" his voiced died down as he contemplated.  
Jayne lowered his voice and leaned in towards the Captain. "Mal"  
"Decisions already been made Jayne. Dong ma"  
Jayne noticed the tone of Mal's voice and swallowed before leaving it be.  
As Jayne left the bridge, Mal leaned over the console and stared out to the derelict. Wash switched a control and maneuvered Serenity while he spoke. "Just hope this goes our way.  
"Yeah." Mal said sardonically. "Our way."

To be continued.  
Comment all you guys want...it's like gold to me! 


	5. Chapter 5

Mal, Zoe and Jayne walked through the airlock holding their firearms at the ready and stopped right at the airlock doors.  
"Sir?" Zoë's voice was accompanied by the static of the com.  
"I know Zoe. But we can't pass this by. Could be substantial coin over there." Mal moved his arm to unlock the hatch and the whirr of compressed air gushed out at them as the hatch swung out. Each of them prepared for the worst, but when they were greeted with an empty room an audible sigh came from each of them.  
"Stay on guard." Mal warned. "We poke our noses around, see what's worth taking. No lingerin"  
All three entered the abandoned med-ship on guard.  
Mal motioned for Jayne to go to the left and Zoe to the right, while he continued on forward. The com in Mal's suit switched on and he heard Zoe say, "Sir, other than the power, nothing is wrong with this ship. Supplies, machinery, everything is still intact"  
They made quick work of searching the level they were on and gathered together by the lift doors.  
"Mal, this place is givin' me an itch. Maybe we outta just think about gittin'." Jayne's voice was insistent.  
"There's a not so small fortune on this level alone. Sides Jayne, when have you ever turned down a profit?" Mal walked into the lift and the other two followed.  
As Zoe and Jayne turned to face the closing doors of the lift, Zoe, completely serious, said, "Mayhap Jayne's growin' a conscience." She turned to face Mal, somewhat awkwardly because of the suits. Mal stared at Zoe and Zoe at Mal and the only movement was that of the lift itself. Jayne just arched one eyebrow and twisted his mouth up in a confused expression. Zoe and Mal could only hold straight faces for all of four seconds before both erupting into ill restrained laughter.  
Jayne rolled his eyes and said, "Ha ha"  
It seemed that all the bound up tension they had was now giving them a case of the giggles. Even Jayne was holding back a smile until the lift doors opened and what they saw silenced their laughter instantly.  
Every expression dropped from their faces as they looked out at all the bodies that littered the floor and furniture. "Guai guai?" Mal uttered just barely above a whisper.

"Sure, Mal. I'll send him right over." Wash hung the receiver back on its hook and stood to leave the bridge. He quickly made his way to the infirmary and when he descended the stairs he could see Simon on a stool right beside Kaylee. Wash let a little smile spread across his face as he stood in the doorway and looked at them. Simon was propped up on his bent right arm only inches from Kaylee's face and his head hung heavily on it from where he had fallen asleep in that position. In his lap, his left hand loosely clutched Kaylee's chart.  
Wash admired Simon's devotion for a moment and then walked over to him gently shaking his shoulder to wake him. Simon groggily shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, "I fell asleep"  
Wash let out a humorous breath of air before his countenance turned serious. "Turns out our abandoned med-ship wasn't so abandoned"  
"They found survivors?" Simon sounded hopeful.  
Wash shook his head 'no' and Simon sighed, "So then they don't need me"  
"Actually, Mal wants you to suit up and get over there right now." Simon looked at Kaylee and Wash continued, "I'll be here to watch Kaylee." Simon stood and exchanged her chart for his red bag on the counter and opened his mouth to speak but Wash interrupted. "And River." Simon nodded once and made his way aft.  
As he approached the locker where the suits were kept Simon saw Shepherd Book prepping one. At his questioning look, Shepherd explained, "I know you don't care much for these, son. Thought I'd help"  
"Thank you." Simon's voice revealed his fatigue.  
Book helped Simon suit up in a comfortable silence but before he moved to place the helmet on his head he hesitated. "You're a very extraordinary man, Simon"  
Simon's brows rose high up on his forehead and he questioned, "Extraordinary?" His tone quickly turned cynical. "Right. River's getting worse everyday. None of my treatments are working as I'd hoped. And Kaylee…I don't know if I'll be able to…if there's brain damage…" Simon pulled himself out of his rant. "I'm far from extraordinary." "Man is a selfish creature." Book retorted. "S'not often that he will choose self sacrifice"  
Simon looked at Book and with a gleam of 'duh' in his eyes he argued, "I didn't have any other choice"  
The shepherd just smiled as he raised the helmet to above his head. "You just proved my point for me, son."

Simon knelt over one of the bodies with the most bewildered look on his face.  
"So?" Mal asked impatiently.  
Zoe, Mal and Jayne stood hovering over Simon while he examined the latest body.  
All three waited anxiously for Simon to speak.  
The Doctor leaned back and his eyes glazed over while his brain assessed and reassessed, evaluated and reevaluated, and shuffled through everything he discovered.  
"Doesn't make any sense." Simon muttered.  
"Mal I told you this weren't right. I'm done askin' questions. We need to git back." Jayne's voice was harsh through the com.  
Mal just ignored Jayne's little outburst and waited for Simon to diagnose. Jayne continued his diatribe. "Shoulda just kept on going. Doc cain't even tell us what they're dead from"  
"I can." Simon halted Jayne's rhetoric. "It just doesn't…it's not…they shouldn't be dead"  
"Be plain, Doc." Mal said on edge. "What did this"  
"Influenza. They all died from the flu." Simon's voice was coated with disbelief.  
"Didn't they find an inoculation for influenza like two hundred years ago?" Zoe chimed in.  
"They did." Simon agreed. "Everyone gets it at a very young age now. These people shouldn't…I'd like to take some samples back to study"  
"Jien tah-duh guay!" Jayne took a step forward. "There ain't no way you're bringin' that on"  
Mal sliced his hand through the air silencing Jayne. "That really a good idea?" he asked of Simon.  
"I'll take every precaution. I may be able to diagnose more accurately"  
"Fine. What about…all this?" Mal gestured at all the equipment they wanted to salvage.  
"Assuming we've all been vaccinated?" Simon waited for them to nod their heads and then continued. "Our bodies are immune. Should be completely safe if we sterilize it all"  
"Take your samples then, Doctor. Posthaste though, dong ma?" Mal turned to Zoe and motioned for her and Jayne to start moving equipment.  
Jayne complained, "If any-ruttin'-body would just listen to me"  
Zoe hefted up one side of a very large bulky machine with Mal. "Who would wanna do that, Jayne?" Jayne grunted at Zoe and then they each proceeded to go about their tasks as quickly as possible. 

River walked into the infirmary and didn't even acknowledge Wash's presence as she looked around at every possible surface in the room. She walked up to Kaylee's side and leaned down to whisper in her ear.  
Wash tilted his head to grasp at what she was saying.  
"…can't obliterate…keep in there…" River placed one hand gently on her forehead for a mere moment and then removed it, standing up. She turned and walked right back out of the infirmary.  
Wash looked at the now empty doorway and then back at Kaylee and then back at the doorway with a look of utter puzzlement. He just shook it off and repositioned to record Kaylee's vitals like Simon had instructed.

liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze - Stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey Guai guai? - What the hell?  
Jien tah-duh guay - Like hell!  
And if you don't know 'dong ma' by now…tsk tsk

MORE TO COME in chapter 8 Comment guys. Lemme know what your theories are, what you liked and didn't like. It'll only make me a better fic writer. Thanks. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 8

Mal and Zoe twisted off their helmets and Jayne bumped into Simon none too gently as he pushed past him to put up his suit, eager for solitary.

"Wash, time to go." Mal directed at Wash, who was walking through the door. 

"Ten Four Captain. Any particular course?" Wash's voice echoed throughout the room.

"Somewhere…not here, for now." Mal pursed his lips together and looked over at Simon sorting through the medicines.

"Our fuel cells won't hold out much longer. Maybe got two, three days max long as we don't push her too hard." At the Captain's nod, he turned and headed back up for the bridge.

Mal turned to Simon and said, "Doc, you take what you need and then let me know what we got. Zoe, send a WAVE to Brennert, see if he's got a mind to deal."

"Yes sir." Zoe stowed her suit and then left the cargo bay.

Mal put his suit away and left Simon to his task at hand. As he moved to enter the common area River stood in the doorway unmoving and stared up at Mal. He huffed and opened his mouth to ask her to move when she piped up. "The lights on the tree went out. They're dim now." 

Mal turned his face up into a comical uh huh and then she continued very seriously, as if she were consoling him, "Don't worry, the light will come back. It just got too hot."

Mal stood unblinking at her for the span of several seconds before nodding and adding, "Good to know." 

He moved closer to the doorway and River stepped aside to let him pass through. She watched him as he walked past the infirmary. 

Inara gently switched off the monitor and pulled the fabric back over her cortex screen slowly; her mind racing.

"I could just leave." She thought to herself. "I could leave and then they wouldn't have to deal with…they wouldn't have to know. I could spare them." 

She stood and turned around to see River sitting calmly on her bed.

"River. Sweetie?"

River sat with her hands in her lap and her head bent to the left with a far away look in her eyes. Inara noticed something almost like longing in them. The companion went to River's side and sat down beside her, taking one of her hands in between her own. River, unmoving, said just above a whisper, "The rational consequence is not always without complications."

Inara sat for a moment to let this sink in, when River's head turned to look straight into her eyes. It seemed as if River were counseling her. To which, Inara wanted to make light of, but River spoke again. "Doing the right thing isn't always easy." A pause fell between the two of them before River stood grabbing Inara's hand and leading her out of the shuttle. "I'll show you."

As River pulled Inara into the infirmary, the companion looked around confused. "Why isn't anyone in here with Kaylee? Shouldn't someone-"

Before Inara could finish out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kaylee's eyes flutter open. River smiled as Inara dropped her hand and hurried to the mechanic's side.

"Oh, mei mei. Kaylee." Inara couldn't continue for the lump that had risen up in her throat.

Kaylee opened her eyes a bit wider and gave Inara a very groggy smile. "Nara."

Her voice escaped in scratchy, dry whisper, but Inara thought she had never heard anything more beautiful. A tear made it's way down Inara's cheek and she stroked Kaylee's face lovingly.

"What happened?" Kaylee looked more confused and vulnerable than the companion had ever thought possible.

The older woman's thoughts raced while she mentally impugned herself. "Nara?" Kaylee's voice pulled at Inara's heart from within her chest. 

She quickly and expertly pulled herself together, smiling at Kaylee and holding her hand. "We've all been so worried, sweetie. How do you feel? Are you alright? What happened to you after we separated?"

"Just one at a time, kay Nara." The young mechanic tried to sit up but quickly laid back down holding her head. "Ooooh. Not good."

River walked over to Kaylee and smiled sweetly. "Back awake."

Kaylee's mouth was poised to speak, but Wash walked into the infirmary, Zoe close on his heels, and the hugest grin appeared on his face. "Look who's awake!"

At hearing Wash's voice, Mal stuck his head through the doorway to the common area and simultaneously felt his heart rise up to his throat and sink down to the pit of his stomach. The Captain quickly made his way into the infirmary and stood across from Inara at Kaylee's side, grasping her other hand. "Well, hey there little lady. S'bout time you woke up." Mal gave her the most tender smile as he held onto her hand and smirked. "We was just about to hire a new mechanic. Got interviews lined up 'n all."

Wash joined in, "Yeah, good thing. That last one stunk to high heaven. Don't think we couldda put up with that smell for long…course we did keep Jayne."

Everyone chuckled lighly as the merc, as if on cue, entered the room and narrowed his eyes, asking "What?"

As the moment passed Zoe scrutinized Jayne, noticing a faint but strong expression pass over his face ever so briefly. Relief? Ease? 

"What's all the commotion about?" Book said as he helped Simon carry supplies into the infirmary. Upon seeing Kaylee, Books expression softened and Simon, whose arms were completely and awkwardly full of supplies, let his limbs go slightly slack as some of the vials and containers tumbled to the floor. Everyone looked to the Doctor as he hurriedly slung the load onto the counter and tripped over himself trying to get to Kaylee's side. Simon fussed over Kaylee, checking vitals, pulling back her eyelids to examine her pupils, and began to question her as to how she felt.

Throughout all this, Inara had begun to fade back towards the entrance. She thought to herself, 'If only…this is my fault. This can't happen again. It can't. It won't. I won't let this happen again. I can keep her safe…by leaving.' Inara slipped, unnoticed or so she thought, from the room.

"Can you feel this?" Simon pressed with his fingertips and Kaylee nodded her head. "And this?" Again, she nodded.

By now the rest of the crew had learned that when Simon had doctor'n to do, they were to stay back and keep quiet. Mal stood by the door with his arms crossed and after a moment and a quick sweep of the room, he left to find Inara.

"Kaylee," Simon began, "Can you tell me exactly what happened to you before you lost consciousness?"

The mechanic's face looked to be puzzled and perturbed all in one. "S'all really…fuzzy. I member goin' to town with Nara. Then I went to the 'chinist's shop ta get that interface for the starboard converter. Lotts 'o shiny parts. He even had a-." Kaylee stopped herself, realizing that she was rambling. "After that it gits real cloudy." She put a hand to her head and massaged at her forehead.

"Don't force it." Simon swallowed and his face held a momentary look of vulnerability, but he quickly masked it and went completely professional.

Mal caught up to Inara at the foot of the stairs in the cargo bay. "Running off?" His voice has both softness and steel in it as he spoke to her.

"I just thought…thought that perhaps Kaylee needed some space.

Mal eyed her warily and spoke a little softer, "What's goin' on with you, Inara?"

She shook her head side to side in quick small movements. "Nothing, Mal."

"You ain't got the best way 'o-"

The companion let out an exasperated sigh. "Why must you always assume the worst Mal?"

"Cause that's what tends to hitch itself to my coattails."

"Rest assured Mal, I want nothing to do with your coattails." Inara abruptly whipped away from him and took the stairs quickly.

Mal clenched his teeth together tightly and when Inara was out of sight he opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. And then opened it again. And then snapped it shut. 

Mal halted in the doorway and spoke brusquely, "Wash. Git on up to the bridge, we got to get to the third moon off'a Santo. Zoe, d'you get word from Brennert?"

"Yes sir. Said he's willin' to deal. Seemed a mite anxious though."

"Well he's not the only one. I wanna git this cargo off my boat." Then he directed his attention at Simon and Kaylee, smiling faintly he added, "After we unload this cargo we're gonna disappear for spell. Git you runnin' full swing again."

Simon barely paid him any attention as he continued fussing over his patient.

"Sir." Zoe talked as she followed Mal to the bridge. "What's the plan?"

"Gonna git Brennert to take as much of this off our hands as we can. That's the plan."

"Brennert's been kinda tetchy since he dropped Ellison. Think he's up for a fence this size?" Zoe perched herself on the console as Wash came up behind her and sat in his chair, spinning and flipping switches with precision.

"Should hit Santo in about two hours." Wash adjusted the lever on the main panel and looked up at Mal.

"Let me know before we hit atmo."

Serenity touched down on Santo's third moon with grace and agility. The ramp hissed and made a mechanical whiz as it lowered to the dusty ground. Mal, Zoe and Jayne stood in the cargo bay as they waited for the ramp to descend.

Just as they were about to make their way off the ship, Simon called to Mal from the common area.

"Yeah, yeah Doctor. Be right there." Mal sounded irritated as he threw a comment to Zoe. "Boy chafes me. Takes more tendin' to than a baby." He yelled back to them as he walked, "Get a sample for Brennert. Better off givin' him a taste, mite make him more obliging."

Zoe smirked and turned to Jayne. "Let's get to it."

"Ya think he's not gonna deal smooth?" Jayne walked over to the compartment and squeezed the panels as he pulled up and out.

"When does anyone ever deal anyway but abrasive?" She leaned over with Jayne to pull out the crate.

As they were both leaned into the compartment, Inara passed quietly and gingerly through the cargo bay. She held one small suitcase in her right hand and as she delicately hurried down the ramp, she turned her head back to Serenity and allowed herself one last look.

Look for chapter 9 guys. I'm writing as fast as the story is coming to me. 


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